2015 DVC Alaska Member Cruise 5/25-5/31/15

[ExpeditionEverest]

Whew! I read all 17 pages. Hello! Booked this cruise kind of late. We had planned on doing a short cruise with DS and family but they had to cancel, so called to see if room was still available on this. I've always wanted to do a members cruise and always wanted to do Alaska so tada! perfect fit for both. When I called, only cat 4 and 10 were open, so I booked a 4 at a staggering rate and got on a waitlist for 5, which came through less than a week later. Hurray. I'm going to go for the whole FE thing since I've never done that either..is there a primer for that somehwere? I'd imagine 1 gift per cabin & a little something extra for kids would do? I'm concerned about suitcase space for these since we also have the gifts and have to pack cold weather gear.
We are coming in by train from New Mexico, will stay the night in Seattle, then train to Vancouver the next day, on Sunday, so a day there and then Monday to ship. Any suggestions for hotels in Seattle by the train station?
Very excited!

The train station is at the south end of downtown Seattle and is essentially a block or two away from the sports stadiums. The closest one is probably the Silver Cloud. A few which are several miles away are the W, Westin, Sheraton.

 

[poison ivy]

FYI

for those watching Southwest fares to Seattle.
Per their website:

Travel Tools
We are currently accepting air reservations through April 6, 2015. On October 27, 2014, we will open our schedule for sale through June 5, 2015. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently.

So looks like another 6 wks to wait!

 

[nunzia]

The train station is at the south end of downtown Seattle and is essentially a block or two away from the sports stadiums. The closest one is probably the Silver Cloud. A few which are several miles away are the W, Westin, Sheraton.

Thanks!

 

[nunzia]

I hope one is mine Don't know if I included the stateroom number...it is 6592, and we are only 2 adults.

 

[Jay Kat]

I, too, like the idea of breaking it up a bit. I was in an adults group on the MC last year, and LOVED what we got, and loved coming up with fun things for our group. Want a manageable size so it is fun and not overwhelming, too. Although I need the laps around the ship after all that food!

 

[Johnny Quest]

We should split the FE now. That would make 2 groups of 15 or 16 cabins. New comers will start a new group.

This information needs to be posted and updated regularly on this cruise meet so everyone knows what the heck is going on. There seems to be too many people in the dark about this and it needs organization.

If necessary I can put it on the front page for everyone to view. New participants can just post their requests here.

Very simple.

Jim

 

[Jay Kat]

Do we want to look at an adults vs families FE now that we have so many? How cool is it that we have so many!!!

 

[nunzia]

I'd prefer an adults only, actually (but will do whatever). I'd also be very happy to help organize the whole thing. I'm on the computer a great part of the day and am self employed so can keep on top of things easily.
Has anyone heard from Autumn to know how things are going for her account?

 

[poison ivy]

thanks nunzia. I know once the list is accessible here, it will be a lot easier.

well I am getting really excited about the FE having narrowed down what we are doing!

Right now the FE list hasn't been updated beyond 24 families yet and I'll have JQ post it so everyone can see who is missing. It looks like we have a solid 26 that I know of participating. (not including some of the early posters who expressed interest)

I'm hoping we cut it in half at 30. Let me know how everyone else feels.

I don't really have any preference one way or the other regarding adults vs families and am happy to exchange with whomever is in our group.

We can safely spin off List #1 at 15 cabins right now and keep List #2 open for as many as we'd like - and eventually open up a 3rd.

I can ask JQ to post our FE groups generically on the front page and link to his signature (or post a link directly to the docs like we have in the past if that's still an option).

 

[nunzia]

thanks nunzia. I know once the list is accessible here, it will be a lot easier.

well I am getting really excited about the FE having narrowed down what we are doing!

Right now the FE list hasn't been updated beyond 24 families yet and I'll have JQ post it so everyone can see who is missing. It looks like we have a solid 26 that I know of participating. (not including some of the early posters who expressed interest)

I'm hoping we cut it in half at 30. Let me know how everyone else feels.

I don't really have any preference one way or the other regarding adults vs families and am happy to exchange with whomever is in our group.

We can safely spin off List #1 at 15 cabins right now and keep List #2 open for as many as we'd like - and eventually open up a 3rd.

I can ask JQ to post our FE groups generically on the front page and link to his signature (or post a link directly to the docs like we have in the past if that's still an option).

Sounds good! Is JQ taking this over for Autumn? (hope all is ok with her)

 

[Jay Kat]

excited about FE. Excited about trip. Excited about the potential side trips. Excited about my trip to F&W NEXT WEEK and running in ToT! Thanks, fellow Alaska Cruisers!

 

[nunzia]

What's this? How did we drop to page 3?!

For now, I will be helping with overseeing the page and filling in with organizing the FE until Autumn can return as organizer. If you are NOT highlighted on the page that listed the FE participants, please PM me with the information requested on page 1. If you are un-certain if your information has ben stored in the FE list, please write me as well...heck, you may write me for any reason

If you are like me, you are already planning your FE gifts and uncertainty is not your friend. SO..this is how I hope to be able to organize.
*There has been some discussion about splitting the groups into adult and family, so I wll do that. If you are an adult only stateroom you will be put into the adult only FE. IF you want to be in the family one instead, please PM me, but the default will be adults and families in different FEs automatically.
* Size of each group...So that we can all better prepare and plan, I intend to cap each FE group at 25 staterooms (what do you think? too many? too few?) this way, folks that sign up early will have their list all ready for them early and can work ahead on the gifts and know their FE mates early on. My logic is A) we are going to Alaska and will have extra luggage because of cold weather wear and B) this is a DVC members cruise and Disney will be giving us a lot of luggage loaders also, so am hoping to not have FE gifts become a burden in the luggage and lugging around department.

I'm open to suggestions and as I said earlier, am just holding down the FE fort until Autumn returns. I've never done an FE before, and would hate to see my first attempt to crumble, so am trying to just keep it going.

MODS..I do not want to break any rules, so if there is a sticky somewhere on DIS rules for FEs, please point me in the right direction.

We are so lucky to be on the very FIRST DVC Members cruise to Alaska! Think of all the fun stuff they can come up with for us during those 7 days
Hope to hear from you all soon.

 

[mommacat56]

Sadly, had to cancel this cruise, so you can remove me from the roll call. Wasn't signed up for the FE, so that's not an issue. I'll be thinking about you all on your trip, so post lots of pics and trip reports and I'll feel almost there! Safe travels!

 

[Johnny Quest]

What's this? How did we drop to page 3?!


* Size of each group...So that we can all better prepare and plan, I intend to cap each FE group at 25 staterooms (what do you think? too many? too few?) this way, folks that sign up early will have their list all ready for them early Hope to hear from you all soon.

nunzia,

I don't think autumn will be coming back. Glad you are here to help. I think you should split the group now and cap each one at 15. I personally don't care if they are adult/family or not.
Keeping it at 15 makes it much easier and manageable for a 7 night Alaskan. People are certainly able to join more than one group if they wish.

Also, as you get participants info from PM'S could you post each list generically on this thread and I will reference it on the front page.

thanks
Jim

 

[Jay Kat]

Thanks to all for stepping up in Autumn's absence. I like 15-20 for a group, and wouid like to be in an Adult one if we break that way. Hard to think about FEs this early for me, but things have a habit of sneaking up....Thanks again to all who organize this.

 

[Johnny Quest]

Ummm... Autumn has dropped the ball. Hasn't posted in a month.

nunzia has offered to manage the FE here on the cruise meet. Thanks.

 

[maburke]

I am fine with splitting it. I have never done an FE before, but it seems like it could get to be quite a lot of stuff (loot!) to haul both ways if it gets too big. I hope that all of us participating in this thread will get a chance to meet each other on the ship, but I don't think that we need to keep the FE all in one group in order to feel like a community.

Pirateprincess gave locations of cabins, but the only discussion I've seen here about criteria for division is adults/families. Someone said that there aren't many kids, but in fact there are quite a few families with teens. I believe there are currently about 15 adult-only groups, and 12 families. As a family group of 5, I would be perfectly happy to split that way. I don't want couples to feel overburdened with my group of 5, and I think my kids would get more of a kick out of making or buying gifts for other kids on the cruise.

Just my 2 cents, but it seems like that's where most of the talk of dividing has been. If we divided that way, we could put a deadline of 10/31, and anyone wanting to join after that can start a new one. We may not get a ton more people, since the cruise is nearly sold out.

 

[Ariel93086]

Hi everyone! Glad things got cleared up! This will be our first time participating in a FE also! So excited! I like the idea of splitting it up into an adults only group and family group. But again, I am really new so whatever works for me! I'm just happy to be a part of it! As for splitting it up any other way (number of people, cabin position on ship, decks, etc), I'm leaving that totally up to you guys since this will be our first. Haha! Still not really sure what to expect. P.s.- I'm pretty crafty and my brain has been on overdrive trying to think of great gifts! Thanks! Hope you all are having a good weekend!

 

[MMouse2]

Hello, this will be our first FE and we are super excited, for what it's worth, I've been checking DB occasionally and FB daily, I don't feel any balls have been dropped. Thanks to all who are working together to make this happen! Personally, we don't want to see the group split and if it does, can we please be added to both groups? As for a deadline, does anyone who's participated in prior FEs know what the norm is or if there's a norm? I've silently been hoping for at least a few months to prepare. Again, so excited and thanks to everyone for your hard work!!

 

[nrexxma44]

Hi this will be our first FE, so i am really flexible. I like the idea if we need to split to do it Adults and Family. I thought one of the posters had a good idea...that her kids might like making something for other children. From what i have read the fun is filling the FE's without being noticed, and the best is when you get back to your room and get to empty your FE!!!!
Autumn thanks for taking the lead on this....can't wait to meet you!!!!